Toy airplane



Nov. 8, 1938.. E A. WITTE 2,136,067

I TOY AIRPLANE Filed Aug. 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENITYOR Emu. A. WITI4'E ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1938. wn- E I 2,136,067

TOY AIRPLANE Filed Aug. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x. FIG. 7.

INVENTOR Emu. A. WITTE ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 8, 1938 OFFICE consin Aiiiuiatidn' August 16,

' 3 Claims.

, inventionapper'tains.tb toys, and more particularly to toy airplanesor gliders. I

, One of the primary objects orm'y invention is tdprovide a collapsibletoy airplane with means for shooting the airplanein its collapsed .condition into the air, whereby the same will offer slight resistance to the air during its initial flight.

Another important object of my invention is to provide means Wherebythe toy airplane will automatically open after the same reaches a predetermined height, so that the same will glide to the groundin a fashion similar to ordinary toy airplanes, or gliders.

A iurthenob'jectoi my invention is to provide a toy airplane having wings pivotally mounted on the longitudinally eiz te'r iding body stick or the airplane, adapted. to be folded to a collapsed position back over the body stick, with, resilient means normally urging the wings to a normal open flying position, and a sp'ring -pressecl vane adapted toen'gage and hold the wings in their folded condition, when the vane is moved back against the tensionof its spring, the vane being held in such position during theinitial flight of the plane by the wind pressure acting on the same. y

A further important object of my invention is to provide novel means for mounting the vane and thewings on the body stick, whereby the wings can be swung back over one another to receive therebetween a vane-carried latch pin, which functions to hold the wingsagainst opening movement as long as the vane is held against movement by wind pressure. I

A further object of my invention is the provision of novel means for associating a parachute with the toy airplane, with means for projecting the parachute from the airplane 'when the wings are swung forwardly to their normal position by the spring. v U u A still further object of my, invention is to provide a toy glider which can be shot into the air similar to an arrow, and which is'of an exceptionally simple and durable construction.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specificallydescribed, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings: 7 e

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the toy airplane showing the wings in their normal open position.

Figure 2 is a side elevationalview of the toy airplane showing the wings in their normal open position.

1937; Serial N6. 159,375

Figure sis a view similar to Figure 1 showing the wing in their folded position and held against movement by the wind-operated vane.

Figure l is an enlarged, transverse sectional view throughthe forward, end of the airplane, taken on the,li'ne 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the deterrent-r the arrows, the View illustrating the means employed for ,p'ivotally connecting the wings to thebody stick. .,Figure 5 is an enlarged, transverse sectional iew through the airmane, taken substantially on the line 5 -5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; illustrating the novel means for holding the wings againstopening movement. F;jgure e,1 an en1a.rged,iragmentary, longitudinal eectional view taken substantially on the line li5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows illustrating the wind pressure vane and the means carried thereby for holding the wings against opening movement.

Figure? is an enlarged, f agmentary, top plan view oi a slightly modified form of my inven tion, showing a toy parachute associated therewith.

. F u e 8 san en a edift a side vational view of the,modifled form of the airplane parts qtthe figure being shown broken away and in section to illustrate the manner in which the parachute is p'o siti oned in the plane. Figure il is a transverse sectional view through the forward end of, the airplane, taken on the line 9 3 of Figure 7, looking in the direction of the arrow s, illustrating the means for detachably mounting the iceverplate on the compartment provided ior the parachute. I

M Figure i0 is a cempo'site view illustrating the ma ner in hich the ra ie, i Projected Off the airplane when the airplane reaches the topmost point of its initial flight. R.eferring ,to thedrawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my novel toy airplane, and, as illustrated, the same embodies a lon itud na y exte in y st i5, which can graduallytaper toward its rear end.

The upper surf aceof the body stick l5 at its forward end has rigidly securedthereto, by means of tacks or the like lil an arrowhead-shaped stop plate [1. 'Ihe extreme forward end of the stopplate IT and its rearfcorner edges can benotched, as at [8, for apurpose will be later set rent. The extreme rear en'dfof, the body stick i 5"caii have ja'fs's cijated therewith inany preferred manner, a vertical stabihzer l9 and a honzontal stabilizer 20. These elements l9 and 20 can be 'removably mounted on the body stick to facilitate shipping.

Carried by the body stick l are flight-maintaining wings 2| and 22. These wings have their inner ends arranged in overlapping relation over the top edge of the body stick adjacent to the plate I1, and a pivot pin 23 passes through said overlapping portions of the Wings and into the body stick. Thus, the wings are pivotally mountved upon the body stick and can be swung back in an overlapping position over the body stick.

I prefer to mount a washer or similar element 24 on the pivot pin 23 so as to insure the proper holding of the wings 2| and 22 in place. wings are normally maintained in their open flying position by suitable resilient means, and, as

illustrated, I employ a rubber band 25, which is.

placed around the plate l! in the notches l8. The ends of the rubber band are firmly anchored to the wings 2| and 22 on opposite sides of the pivot pin 23. Metal clips 26 can be utilized for securing the ends of the rubber band to the wings.

Hingedly mounted on the body stick l5 between the wings 2| and 22 and the stabilizers l9 and 20 is a vane 27. This vane 21 is normally urged forwardly and upwardly against the body stick by suitable spring means. To simplify the showing, I have illustrated the vane 21 connected to the body stick by means of a leaf hinge 28, and this leaf hinge can have coiled about the pintle thereof a coil spring 29. In other Words, a spring hinge is provided for mounting the Vane on the stick. Rigidly mounted on the vane is a U-shaped latch pin 3%, and when the vane is swung back against the tension of its spring means, the U- shaped latch pin is adapted to straddle the body stick.

When the wings are folded back over the body stick to such a position that their rear ends swing past one another, the vane 21 is swung back until the latch pin 30 rides between the Wings, and obviously the latch pin will hold the wings against opening movement under the influence of their spring.

Rigidly mounted upon the forward end of the body stick is. any form of hook or knob 3|, and over this hook can be placed a strong rubber band 32 for shooting the airplane into the air.

In use of my novel toy, the Wings are swung back to their folded position, as described, and held in such position by the latch pin 30. The end of the body stick and the vane is grasped between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, and the strong rubber band 32 is placed over the hook and held in the right hand. The airplane is now drawn back until the band is in a stretched condition, at which time the airplane is released and projected into the air.

As the airplane is shot into the air, the pressure of the wind flowing past the Vane Will hold the vane back against the tension of its spring, and consequently the wings will be held back in their folded position during the initial flight of the airplane. As the airplane loses its speed, and the wind pressure on the vane decreases, the spring of the vane overcomes such air pressure and swings the vane back to its normal position carrying the latch pin away from the wings. The wings will then be automatically swung to their open position by their rubber band 25. The airplane will now glide back to the earth.

To increase interest in the toy, I can associate a parachute therewith and provide means for automatically releasing the parachute when the The airplane comes to the end of its initial flight. In Figures 7 to inclusive I have illustrated my novel means employed for associating a parachute 3| with the plane.

The airplane in the modified form is constructed and manipulated the same as in the first form, and the modified form embodies a longitudinally extending body stick 32 having rigidly secured thereto at its forward end the body and stop plate 33. Wings 34 and-35 are pivotally secured to the body stick in rear of the plate 33 by means of a pivot pin 36. A rubber band 31 is employed for normally swinging the wings to an Open position against the rear edge of the stop plate 33.

In accordance with the present form, the lower edge of the body stick under the body and stop plate 33 is cut away, as at 38, and a housing 39 is secured to the body plate. This housing can consist merely of a light strip of sheet metal folded about the edge of the body and stop plate to form depending front and side Walls. Tacks 40 can be utilized for securing the metal strip' in place. The lower end of the housing is left open, and the front wall of the housing has formed therein a slot 4|. The side walls of the housing have struck out therefrom laterally extending lugs 42.

A cover plate 43 is provided for normally closing the lower'end of the housing, and this cover plate is shaped to simulate the appearance of a parachute jumper. The head end of the combined figure and cover plate is provided with a bent-back lip 44, which is adapted to be inserted in the slot 4| when the cover and figure is. in its position on the housing. The side edges of the combined cover and figure have formed therein inturned lips 45, which are adapted to engage over the lugs 42 when the cover is on the housing.

The rear end of the cover plate and figure carries bent-up feet portions 4'6, which are adapted to straddle the body strip 32 directly in front of the wings 34 and 35. These feet portions are disposed in the path of the wings and are adapted to be engaged thereby when the wings are swung to their open position.

Packed within the housing is the parachute 3|, and the parachute includes cords 41, which are in turn connected by a single string 48 with the head end of the combined cover plate and figure.

In operation of this form of my invention, the wings are swung back and held in their collapsed position by the vane, after which the parachute is inserted in the housing, and the combined figure and cover plate 43 is placed on the housing and held in such position by the lugs 44 and 45.

The airplane can now be shot into the air, and when the same reaches the limit of its initial flight, the wings will be released and will be swung forcibly forward by the rubber band 31. When the wings reach their normal position, the same will strike the feet 46 and project the cover plate 43 off the housing, and the cover plate will now act as a weight and pull the parachute 3| from the housing. As the parachute leaves the housing, the same will automatically open and the parachute with the figure and cover plate will float to the ground, while the airplane continues its flight to the ground. a

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided an exceptionally simple and highly enjoyable toy, which can be shot into the air similar to an arrow, and which thereafter will glide to the ground like an airplane.

Changes in details maybe made without de- ,5

parting from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. A toy airplane comprising a longitudinally extending body stick, rigid wings pivotally mounted upon the body stick adjacent its forward end adapted to be folded to a collapsed non-flying position back over the body stick, spring means normally urging the wings to an open flying position, a pivoted spring-pressed Wind vane carried by the body stick adapted to engage between the wings and hold the wings in their collapsed position when the vane is in one position against the tension of its spring means, said vane being held in such position by air pressure when the plane is shot in its collapsed condition into the air.

2. In a toy airplane of the character described, a longitudinally extending body stick, rigid wings having their inner ends arranged in overlapping position over the body stick adjacent the forward end thereof, a pivot pin extending through the wings and into the body stick for pivotally mounting the wings upon the body stick, the wings being adapted to be folded back one over the other over the body stick, a wind vane hingedly mounted the vane is inone position, and spring means normally urging the vane and the latch pin to a released position away from the wings.

3. In a toy airplane of the character described, a body stick, a stop plate carried by the forward end of the body stick, wings pivotally mounted upon the body stick directly in rear of the stop plate, resilient means normally urging the wings to an open position against the stop plate, a depending housing secured to the stop plate having its lower end normally open, a slide plate detachably mounted on the housing, a parachute folded in said housing attached to the slide plate, and upwardly extending feet on the slide plate normally disposed in rear of the stop plate and arranged in the path of the wings, whereby said slide plate and parachute will be projected from the housing by said wings when the wings reach their normal open position. 

